English

Verb

know someone in the biblical sense ‎(third-person singular simple present knows someone in the biblical sense, present participle knowing someone in the biblical sense, simple past knew someone in the biblical sense, past participle known someone in the biblical sense)

1. (idiomatic) To be sexually acquainted with someone, that is, to have sex with the person.
   • 1969, Ronald M. Meldrum, "Three of Henry James's Dark Ladies", Research Studies, volume 37, page 54:

     James may not have known women in the biblical sense; but had Adams read the novels with care, he would have been agreeably surprised by the keen insights on the feminine psyche displayed there.

   • 1980, William Wiser, Disappearances, ISBN 0689110626, page 90:

     As for Modigliani he is not a painter I know so I don't know if he knew Bianca in the biblical sense or not.

   • 1995, Lyle Leverich, Tom: The Unknown Tennessee Williams, ISBN 0517702258, page 456:

     Paul says there are still those who knew him, in the Biblical sense, living on the West Coast — that he was "trade" for "everybody."

   • 2007, Tom LaMarr, Hallelujah City, ISBN 0826340415, page 46:

     It only stood to reason that a woman who knew Him in a Biblical sense would have to be His bride.

See also

• carnal knowledge